--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents were wonderful people, but…" description: "\"My parents were wonderful people, but there were terrible rows between them, and at times I found the atmosphere at home unbearable. The Arthur Ransome..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/michelle-magorian-37751_alternative_my-parents-were-wonderful-people-but-the_1264557.jpg" --- # My parents were wonderful people, but there were terrible… ![“My parents were wonderful people, but there were terrible rows between them, and at times I found the atmosphere at home unbearable. The Arthur Ransome books gave me an alternative childhood and the tools to escape.” quote by Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/michelle-magorian-37751_alternative_my-parents-were-wonderful-people-but-the_1264557.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/michelle-magorian-37751_alternative_my-parents-were-wonderful-people-but-the_1264557.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3b/michelle-magorian-37751_alternative_my-parents-were-wonderful-people-but-the_1264557.jpg) > “My parents were wonderful people, but there were terrible rows between them, and at times I found the atmosphere at home unbearable. The Arthur Ransome books gave me an alternative childhood and the tools to escape.” [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood turmoil can be soothed by literature that offers escape and alternative perspectives. **In simple terms:** Books provide refuge from family conflict. Key Takeaway Seek stories that broaden your inner world. Themes family conflict escapism literature childhood resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational therapeutic When to use this quote - reading for comfort - discussing family issues - creative writing therapy - building supportive friendships Key Concepts psychological coping imaginative escape identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn literary escape into real-life growth? - What stories have helped you cope with family tension? A Different Perspective Literature may not resolve real-life problems, only provide temporary relief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alternative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternative/) [Alternative Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternative-childhood-4032010/) [Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arthur/) [Atmosphere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atmosphere/) [Between](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/between/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Escape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Gave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home Unbearable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-unbearable-4032011/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-wonderful-798889/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Ransome Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ransome-books-1844690/) [Rows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rows/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Unbearable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbearable/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-people/) ## Related quotes > [When my younger son was 13 years old, he asked me to read 'Swallows and Amazons' to him while he made models. He liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/when-my-younger-son-was-13-years-old-he-asked-me-to-read-swallows-and/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [Have you ever noticed how parents can go from the most wonderful people in the world to totally embarrassing in three seconds?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/have-you-ever-noticed-how-parents-can-go-from-the-most-wonderful/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I love my parents and they're wonderful people, but they were strict, and I still look for ways to get even. When I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/i-love-my-parents-and-they-re-wonderful-people-but-they-were-strict/) [Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/) > [My parents are wonderful people and they instilled in me an idealism for which I'm grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/my-parents-are-wonderful-people-and-they-instilled-in-me-an-idealism/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [I am a person who grew up with two wonderful parents and a wonderful family and a person who has done well in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-am-a-person-who-grew-up-with-two-wonderful-parents-and-a-wonderful/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [My parents are a wonderful mixture of bohemian eccentric, but also incredibly practical and not airy-fairy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kennedy-clark/my-parents-are-a-wonderful-mixture-of-bohemian-eccentric-but-also/) [Sophie Kennedy Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kennedy-clark/) > [I was raised by extremely strict - but also extremely loving - Chinese immigrant parents, and I had the most wonderful childhood! I remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/i-was-raised-by-extremely-strict-but-also-extremely-loving-chinese/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [I don't think there will ever come a time that I can't learn from my parents, but there's something wonderful about getting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-branson/i-don-t-think-there-will-ever-come-a-time-that-i-can-t-learn-from-my/) [Holly Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-branson/) > [My parents are wonderful, practical, sensible people, and the expectation was that I would study something academic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-chan/my-parents-are-wonderful-practical-sensible-people-and-the/) [Gemma Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-chan/) > [My parents have a wonderful marriage, for many years. But I can't commit myself for such a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-wilde/my-parents-have-a-wonderful-marriage-for-many-years-but-i-can-t/) [Kim Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-wilde/) > [I'm happy and content in my life, and I chalk that up to wonderful parents and a wonderful God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-happy-and-content-in-my-life-and-i-chalk-that-up-to-wonderful/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I was always a show girl. My parents were wonderful. There wasn't a lot going on where we lived, but they ferried me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-maxwell-martin/i-was-always-a-show-girl-my-parents-were-wonderful-there-wasn-t-a-lot/) [Anna Maxwell Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-maxwell-martin/) > [Both my parents are wonderful cooks - my father looks like he has been in the kitchen his whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/both-my-parents-are-wonderful-cooks-my-father-looks-like-he-has-been/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [My parents are wonderful, and I'm really lucky - but my mom has always been almost exclusively a right-brained person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-boyd/my-parents-are-wonderful-and-i-m-really-lucky-but-my-mom-has-always/) [Brandon Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-boyd/) > [I had an idyllic childhood and when my parents bought me a Punch and Judy Show and a ventriloquist's dummy, I'd perform anywhere, anytime.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-dodd/i-had-an-idyllic-childhood-and-when-my-parents-bought-me-a-punch-and/) [Ken Dodd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-dodd/) ## More by Michelle Magorian > [When my younger son was 13 years old, he asked me to read 'Swallows and Amazons' to him while he made models. He liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/when-my-younger-son-was-13-years-old-he-asked-me-to-read-swallows-and/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [I’d rather be happy and odd than miserable and ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/i-d-rather-be-happy-and-odd-than-miserable-and-ordinary/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [Although I could read before I went to school, and I won the school reading prize at five years old, my early children's stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/although-i-could-read-before-i-went-to-school-and-i-won-the-school/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [How could anyone not want to live when there were so many things to live for? There were rainy nights and wind and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/how-could-anyone-not-want-to-live-when-there-were-so-many-things-to/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [“I expect you think I’m a bit forward,’ remarked Zach. ‘Wot?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/i-expect-you-think-i-m-a-bit-forward-remarked-zach-wot/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [“I would do anything to save our love because our love is my life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/i-would-do-anything-to-save-our-love-because-our-love-is-my-life/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [“I’d rather be happy and odd than miserable and ordinary,' she said, sticking her chin in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/i-d-rather-be-happy-and-odd-than-miserable-and-ordinary-she-said/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [At school, if I was ever bored in class, I would draw maps of islands or detailed interior of boats or lists of provisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/at-school-if-i-was-ever-bored-in-class-i-would-draw-maps-of-islands/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [“It occurred to him that strength was quite different from toughness and that being vulnerable wasn't quite the same as being weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/it-occurred-to-him-that-strength-was-quite-different-from-toughness/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) > [“Miss Thorne said no more. Poor boy, she thought, away from his loving home and now dumped with an irritable old man. Tom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-magorian/miss-thorne-said-no-more-poor-boy-she-thought-away-from-his-loving/) [Michelle Magorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) [Explore all 11 Michelle Magorian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-magorian/) ## More Alternative quotes > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [In my book I specifically discussed the structural nature of injustice and offered Nine Touchstones of Goddess ethics as an alternative to the Ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/in-my-book-i-specifically-discussed-the-structural-nature-of/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) [Don Chipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-chipp/) > [In January 2012, Google Plus started to roll out support for nicknames and pseudonyms, but those registering with a name other than their real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-january-2012-google-plus-started-to-roll-out-support-for-nicknames/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [It's American Alternative radio stations that bug me. We're considered Alternative, but don't expect us to be played next to Blink 182 and Offspring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/it-s-american-alternative-radio-stations-that-bug-me-we-re-considered/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [There are some fantastic, brilliant alternative doctors out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-mills/there-are-some-fantastic-brilliant-alternative-doctors-out-there/) [Hayley Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-mills/) > [The alternative to the market process is government control, and we know where that principle leads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-richman/the-alternative-to-the-market-process-is-government-control-and-we/) [Sheldon Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-richman/) > [Alternative services would mean that there would be services available to compete with Google, Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Skype, etc., and they would be run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikko-hypponen/alternative-services-would-mean-that-there-would-be-services/) [Mikko Hypponen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikko-hypponen/) > [I liked a lot of alternative and I like punk stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/i-liked-a-lot-of-alternative-and-i-like-punk-stuff/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [I've thought about what is an alternative word to feminism. There isn't one. It's a perfectly good word. And it can't be changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-ve-thought-about-what-is-an-alternative-word-to-feminism-there-isn/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [The Voice has always been an alternative paper. They have always understood that that was part of their role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-schanberg/the-voice-has-always-been-an-alternative-paper-they-have-always/) [Sydney Schanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-schanberg/) > [Please don't eat less, eat right, don't hold it in, its okay to cry, do not hurt yourself there is always an alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/please-don-t-eat-less-eat-right-don-t-hold-it-in-its-okay-to-cry-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Gospel is not an alternative, it’s an ultimatum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/the-gospel-is-not-an-alternative-it-s-an-ultimatum/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [Alternative medicine plays into this exaggerated notion that you can prevent disease simply by doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/alternative-medicine-plays-into-this-exaggerated-notion-that-you-can/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) [Browse all 400 Alternative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My parents were wonderful people, but there were terrible rows between them, and at times I found the atmosphere at home unbearable. 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